Langston Hughes Essay

Salvation

Salvation, written by Langston Hughes is an essay, where he retells an experience concerning religion.I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It is an experience that will impact how he deals with religion in the future. The beginning of the essay has a tone that makes the reader feel excited, curious and hopeful. In the end, the tone makes the reader feel disappointed, guilty and a non-believer. A revival that gains momentum for weeks is a climatic flatline for Langston leaving him an agnostic.

A curious Langston is told that great things will happen at a revival at the church of his Auntie Reed. She tells him that he will experience something on the inside and will see the light. He has heard others talking about similar experiences and he does not feel the need to question his aunt. At the revival the children will be called to seek Jesus and Langston is hopeful. The children are called up and Langston sits on the bench waiting for Jesus to reveal himself. He waits and waits. The number of children left on the bench has dwindled to two. Langston is one of the two children left sitting on the bench. The otherchild decides he will meet Jesus just to get things over and done but a hopeful Langston waits.

Langston never sees Jesus. He is the one holding up the congregation and he can no longer compete with the pressure. He decides to join the young lambs at the altar. The congregation is relieved. They no longer need to worry about one of their flock getting lost out on his or her own. However, the once hopeful Langston feels disappointed and betrayed.

Langston is disappointed that Jesus did not come to his aide when all eyes were on him. He needed Jesus to show himself and that did not happen. Langston escapes his situation by pretending to go to Jesus. At home his guilt leaves him sobbing not because he had experienced "Salvation" but instead damnation. That night, for the first time in my life but one for I was a big boy twelve years old - I cried. I cried, in bed alone, and couldn't stop. I buried my head under the quilts, but my aunt heard me. She woke up and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus. But I was really crying because I couldn't bear to tell her that I had lied, that I had deceived everybody in the church, that I hadn't seen Jesus, and that now I didn't believe there was a Jesus anymore, since he didn't come to help me. He had lied to his aunt and no longer believed there was a Jesus.

Langston Hughes has heard several older people discuss what happens when one goes to Jesus. The curious, hopefuland excited tone felt in the start of the essay is the complete opposite of the disappointed, guilty tone he has in the ending. The two extremes may be the reason for Langston Hughes non-belief in Jesus.